One goal of hearing aids is to replicate natural hearing. To achieve this goal, hearing aids must satisfy multiple requirements. For example, hearing aids must be comfortable and discreet. Hearing aids must also improve hearing, and often times use high-tech electronics to achieve this. Finally, hearing aids should be affordable. Accordingly, a comfortable, small, affordable, and high-tech hearing aid which improves hearing is desired.
One way to improve comfort and function of a hearing aid is to custom fit components to the anatomy of the user. In some hearing aid examples, this can lower the potential for a feedback loop to form between the hearing aid speaker (the portion which produces sound for the user, also known as the hearing aid receiver) and the hearing aid microphone (the portion which gathers sound from the environment). Unfortunately, customizing components for each user is resource intensive, and increase costs. Therefore, it is desired to provide a hearing aid design which is customizable and affordable.
Hearing aid effectiveness can be further improved by customizing the sound processing function of the hearing aid to the hearing needs of the individual user. Often, hearing aid function can be customized using electronics, such as micro-computers, which gather sound with a microphone, change it in a way which is helpful to the user, and then broadcast it to the user using the speaker or receiver. Unfortunately, adding these features to a hearing aid can increase hearing aid size and cost. Therefore, it is desired to provide a hearing aid which is adapted to perform signal processing to improve hearing without sacrificing size or cost.
Thus, there is a need for a hearing aid design which increases customization options without reducing affordability, comfort, and without detracting from aesthetics or function.